Courageous Kindness

But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless. (Galatians 5:22-23, paraphrase)

We’ve all experienced more than a year of emotional whiplash. The world we knew before COVID shifted on its axis leaving nothing and no one untouched. The emotional fallout has been anxiety, depression, anger, uncertainty, grief, impatience, and a bone-deep weariness. While much of the COVID experience is not new to those affected by chronic illness, mental illness, chronic pain, and disability, it feels more pronounced as the unease we’re familiar with is now felt by so many around the world.

What’s the answer to all this angst? It’s found in two words: courageous kindness.

WHAT IS COURAGEOUS KINDNESS?

Courageous kindness is choosing to extend kindness to one another even when those around us aren’t being kind, in spite of the anxiety, in the midst of fear. It’s a dependence on the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of kindness as we open a door, as we choose not to respond with unkind words, as we call or text someone to offer a little encouragement, as we pray for those we love and those we are struggling to love — and it is so many other simple but intentional acts of kindness.

Chronic Joy chooses courageous kindness each time we prepare a #PenToPaper mailing. While on the surface the envelopes that arrive in your mailbox may not seem like courageous kindness, Cindee and I never really know if God will use them or if they will simply be tossed in the trash. It takes courage to develop the content for each mailing, design all the print items, place the order (which requires a huge amount of courage! Did we catch all the typos? Did we order the correct number of each piece? Did we miss anything?), and finally to sort, stuff, and pray over each packet before dropping more than 1000 envelopes at the post office several times a year.

#PenToPaper mailings are one of our greatest joys in spite of the anxiety, in the midst of the fear. It is only with, through, in, and all because of Jesus that those mailings are possible at all.

BECOME AMBASSADORS OF INTENTIONAL KINDNESS

Looking for a Courageous Kindness first step? Our Get Involved page provides ideas, tools, and resources to do just that!

We also just launched our Prayer Shawls page to provide Touch of Kindness Boxes to those who need a little bit of encouraging hope.

Do you knit or crochet? How about courageously sharing the work of your heart and hands to provide a prayer shawl for our Touch of Kindness boxes?

A NEW TOOL

Did you notice this symbol on the right side of your screen? Meet our new accessibility tool!

Would it be easier if there was more contrast or less color? Is it difficult to find the words that are also links? Click on the symbol to make these changes and so many more, and you’ll find this tool on every post and page.